Roses and Rhymes
by Space Oddlty
Summary: When Sora's search for his missing brother leads him to an enchanted castle, he comes face to face with a prince hiding a terrible curse. Will Sora find the light in the prince's heart? Or just see the beast lurking within? A SoRiku Beauty and the Beast AU.


It's been 84 years. I've had this brainchild since Disney released their live action remake of Beauty and the Beast, and I couldn't keep it in my head any longer. I'll be taking some creative liberties though, so buckle up for a few deviations and surprises.

The usual disclaimers apply and the rating may be subject to change, depending on the direction things go in wink wink.

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 _Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything most hearts desired, the prince dreamed only of an adventurous life beyond his castle. The prince's dissatisfaction began to corrupt his heart and he grew to be selfish and unkind._

 _But one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered the prince a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Unimpressed by the beggar's offer, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the woman away. But the woman warned the prince not to be deceived by his desires, and to be wary of the terrible darkness growing inside his heart._

 _When he dismissed her again, the beggar's robes melted away to reveal her true form - a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that love was no longer in his heart._

 _As punishment for his darkness, the enchantress cast a powerful spell on the castle, trapping the prince and all who lived there inside. She told the prince that her spell would begin to transform him and soon, his outward appearance would match the dark beast within._

 _Trapped and ashamed, the prince hid himself deep inside the castle, with a magic mirror serving as his only window to the outside world. But the rose the prince had been offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would continue to bloom until his twenty-first year._

 _If the prince could learn to overcome his darkness to love another, and earn their love in return, by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken, and the prince would be free of his darkness. But if not, then he would be doomed to roam the halls of his castle as a monster...for all time._

 _As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost hope of earning the love of another. For who could ever stare into the deepest darkness and find the light?_

* * *

Roses and Rhymes

Chapter One: Far Off Places

As Sora exhales, his eyes narrow in on the cloud of vapor that escapes his lips; he glides his fingers along his exposed forearm to find goosebumps and freezing skin. He steps forward anyway, but looks down to the ground when the sound of snow crunching under his boots hits his ears.

When had it become so cold? Just minutes ago, Sora was weaving through the autumn woods with a crisp breeze and colorful leaves. Now it feels like he's stepping through the heart of winter. Curious, Sora turns over his shoulder to glance the way he came and he sees the barren trees and grassy path he wandered as a child. It seems as if there's some invisible border that divides the woods between fall and winter.

And he's just crossed it.

Sora bites his bottom lip gently in contemplation: Should he turn back? He isn't dressed to continue; his thin robe and slacks may fend off autumn breezes, but not snow and frostbite.

No! There is no turning back. Sora refuses to spend another night warm by the fire in Traverse Town while his brother is off suffering God knows where. Roxas was supposed to spend only a week in Twilight Town, just to trade and insure they'd have enough money and food to survive the winter. But it's been double that time with no sign of Roxas and Sora can't shake the sense that something is wrong.

It's been just the two of them together for years now. Their cottage on the outskirts of Traverse Town is cramped, and the small-minded town of bakers, merchants, and farmers leaves Sora wanting something more, but it's home, and where they promised to look after each other after their father passed. They're poor, which only gives the townspeople something more to whisper about, but the two brothers are happy enough. However, no money or prospects means they rely only on what Roxas manages to sell in Twilight Town.

Every year when Roxas leaves for the city, Sora promises to stay put until he returns. Even if he finds his brother on the side of the road, Sora knows Roxas will chastise him for leaving home. Fear of a lecture never stops Sora from doing anything, so the boy continues through the snow, the cold be damned.

The snow on the ground is thick and resistant, like strong hands grabbing his ankles to hold him back. The wind grows stronger with every step Sora takes; he shivers involuntarily and hugs his cloak closer around his body each time his arms shake. Despite his pounding heart and desperation to reach Roxas, Sora's eyes are heavy and his legs are growing sluggish.

Why hadn't he waited for morning to leave home?

Titus, one of his few friends in town, had tried to stop him, but Sora is too headstrong for everyone's good.

 _"Sora, just wait until morning."_

 _"If Roxas needs help, he needs it now. I can't wait!"_

 _"Let me come with you. Selphie and Wakka can help us search; the woods are too dangerous to search alone."_

 _"I have to do this by myself. Roxas would do the same for me!"_

Sora replays the conversation in his head to keep his mind occupied as he walks. He mouths the words to watch the air take form in front of his lips, but the distraction doesn't last long. The cold is starting to ache in his bones and the snow on the ground is suddenly heavier. It's as if nature is urging him to turn back, like each gust of freezing wind is a threatening whisper in his ear. Still, Sora persists.

He mentally compromises to stop and ask for shelter at the first inn or cottage he happens upon, but he isn't stupid enough to think he'll actually find one out here. Something is off about these parts of the woods; Sora had never seen them in all his years of living on the woods' edge. It was almost as if they were here by...

A wolf's howl snaps Sora out of his thoughts. It's distant, but still too close for comfort. Sora moves forward with newfound vigor, but he can't tell if he's making any progress. Everything looks the same: snow covered ground, black dead trees, and a strengthening breeze that seems to be pushing against him.

Sora hears the wolf again, but this time it's a growl instead of a howl. That is definitely too close.

He makes the mistake of glancing behind him to see a wolf, grey fur, sharp claws, snarling teeth, and all. There's only one, but Sora's heart drops into the pit of his stomach. He takes a hesitant step backward while reaching into sack around his shoulder to pull out a small dagger. The wolf is unintimidated and Sora only wishes he'd inherited his father's assertive glare like Roxas had.

"It's okay; stay back and we can be friends." Sora doesn't feel stupid for speaking to a wolf. He's optimistic; maybe the wolf doesn't want to eat him. "I'm just looking for someone. I promise I don't want to hurt-"

Sora's words are cut short by the wolf's howl. He curses when he realizes the wolf is calling its pack to help hunt him. No longer interested in subtlety, or anything Roxas taught him about how to handle wolves, Sora turns and takes off running. The wolf gives chase and, as they run, Sora hears several more join their leader in the hunt. He doesn't look back, instead focusing only on the dark path ahead.

The snow and icy wind are no longer at the forefront of Sora's mind. Escape and survival are his only instincts and, without thinking, Sora turns to the right, hopping off the somewhat clear path to venture deeper into the woods. The wolves follow him, but the taller snow banks and thick trees help Sora put distance between him and the pack. He ducks under thick branches and occasionally stumbles over roots hidden under the snow, but never fully loses his balance. He still senses the wolves closing in; he can almost feel their hunger and desperation to catch him in the air.

What happens next is a miracle.

Suddenly, Sora is no longer traversing through pitch black woods, but running along a stone paved road, clear of snow and dead leaves. Sora's eyes follow the path ahead of him through a tall, intimidating gate that guards an aged gothic castle that towers higher than any building Sora has seen before. The wolves are still behind him, but the prospect of safety and shelter pushes him forward and, with the last endurance he can muster, Sora runs through the castle's open gates and into the vast courtyard.

He runs several more feet until he realizes the sound of the wolves feet in pursuit no longer rings in his ears. Sora finally stops and turns to face the wolves to see the entire pack has stopped short of the giant castle gates. One by one, the wolves turn and run back into the thickness of the woods. Pride and relief both surge through Sora's veins and he concludes he must have scared the wolves off...for now.

"That's right, you better run," Sora taunts the retreating wolves, but speaks quietly out of fear of them hearing.

Sora turns back to face the castle and glances up to take in the gigantic structure. It reminds him of something out of one of the storybooks he loves, like a dragon's lair or an evil king's lair. The spires are covered in moss, even to the top, and the gargoyles scattered on the various balconies all seem to be glaring down at him. As Sora approaches the front steps, he passes a dry, dirty fountain that sits in the center of the courtyard. The bushes and few patches of grass are unruly and wild and Sora finally wonders if anyone still lives here. He certainly doesn't remember anyone in town speaking of an old castle in the middle of the woods...

If anyone does live here, they're certainly untidy, but Sora hopes they'll let him stay the night so he can continue his search for Roxas in the morning.

The castle's front doors are tall and heavy; Sora can only manage to push them open a few inches before slipping inside through the crack. The foyer is dark, dusty, and empty, but Sora immediately feels warmer. He takes a few steps forward before letting out a tentative, "hello?" At his words, Sora hears the door behind him pull shut and the boy turns to look behind him, expecting to see someone he can talk to, but he's still alone. It makes no sense, but Sora can only shrug and assume the wind pulled the door shut.

"Is there anyone here?" Sora tries again. He gets no reply but his own voice bouncing off the walls. It seems that he's alone, but Sora can't shake the feeling that he's being watched by somebody.

He glances towards a table against the wall and finds the only source of light in the foyer, a lit candle. So there is somebody here!

Sora grabs the dish the candle sits in and holds his arm out forward to light his way further into the castle. He's not quite sure where to go; there's a grand set of stairs in the middle of the foyer that splits off and leads to different sections of the castle, and several sets of doors on either side of him. Slowly, Sora starts up the stairs, deciding if he's going to find the master of the castle and beg to stay until morning, his chambers have to be upstairs.

But the castle is a maze; the second floor is decorated by towering sculptures of demonic-looking creatures. There are numerous doors to the right of Sora as he walks, but the first few he tries are locked; he may be an uninvited guest, but Sora quickly grows suspicious of this mysterious castle.

Sora comes to the end of the second floor, a dead end with only a ripped painting on the floor in front of him, and he lets out a frustrated sigh. Maybe he is alone...

A door behind Sora creaks open and he turns as fast as he can react, hoping to finally come face to face with someone who lives in the castle. He finds himself alone, which only confuses him further. His confusion beckons him forward, through the cracked door which was concealing a spiraling staircase. He must be in one of the mossy towers he saw outside.

When a harsh coughing fit suddenly echoes down the staircase, Sora almost drops his candle in surprise. They may not be words, but Sora recognizes the sound, which elicits an array of emotions. Relief and fear fuse together into adrenaline and Sora tightens his grip on the candle.

"Roxas?" he calls out. This time, Sora's words receive a response - another fit of coughs that urge him to run forward. Sora sprints so quickly, he skips every other step; he stumbles every so often, but always finds his balance immediately. The staircase seems to stretch on forever in the pitch black darkness, illuminated softly only by his candle. With every step he climbs, the coughs grow louder, then closer, and there's no doubt in Sora's heart that Roxas is here.

How or why is a mystery to him; all that matters is the certainty that Sora has found his brother.

The stairs finally lead to a doorway that Sora pushes open without a second thought. He's in a room with several empty cells - a dungeon - but one cell in the back corner is occupied. "Roxas!" Sora runs to the cell and falls to his knees at the sight of his brother leaned against the stone cold wall, coughing blood into his sleeve.

Roxas glances over at Sora and his eyes widen like he's seen a ghost. "Sora, is it really you?" His voice is hoarse and dry, giving away that he isn't had much to eat or drink in the time that he's been here.

Sora nods and tries his best to hold back tears, though the effort is in vain. "It's me, it's me," he repeats for several seconds. He sticks his hand through the gaps in the cell bars to try to pull his brother close. He wants to ask why Roxas is here, what happened to Twilight Town, or his horse, or anything, but a sense of urgency keeps Sora from saying much. Instead he starts to glance around the room and quickly grows frustrated. "We have to get you out of here; where are the keys?"

Roxas doesn't say anything at first; instead, he shakes his head and he stutters in a tone of fear that Sora's never heard before. "Sora, no, you have to go!" Sora furrows his brow in confusion, but that doesn't deter Roxas. "The monster - he'll get you too. Sora you have to leave before he finds you!" Roxas bursts into a fit of coughs again before he can continue warning his brother; this causes Sora only to hold Roxas's hand tighter and he doesn't budge an inch.

"I'm not going anywhere, not without you." Sora feels Roxas's hand tremble; whatever is here has terrified his brother, shattered his spirit, and locked him away. Sora knows he should feel frightened too, but he doesn't. Not when he's so close to bringing his brother home. "I won't leave without you."

The door to the dungeon slams off its hinges and a strong gust extinguishes the flame of Sora's candle. Left in the dark, Sora hears Roxas gasp and shout for Sora to run, but his brother's voice is drowned out by the sound of heavy footsteps drawing closer. Sora narrows his eyes in an attempt to outline the approaching figure, but it's as though they're wearing the darkness, shrouded completely in a blanket of utter blackness.

"What are you doing here?" asks the figure hidden by darkness.

Sora doesn't answer, instead opting to ask, "who are you?" He can hear the figure pacing in the darkness, but they never step forward to reveal themselves. There's silence for a few seconds and Sora forces himself to exhale after realizing he's been holding his breath.

"The master of this castle," the figure finally replies. Sora notices an edge of impatience and frustration in the figure's voice, especially when he speaks again. "Tell me why have you come here"

Anger at the castle's master for torturing Roxas overwhelms any kind of fear Sora feels. He gestures to Roxas with his free hand and focuses on one spot in the darkness to glare at. "I've come for my brother. He's sick and you're holding him prisoner! Let him go!"

"Sora don't!" Roxas shouts, forcing himself to be heard. "Leave while you can, before he takes you too."

"Silence!" the master yells, catching both brothers off guard. Another beat of silence passes before the master speaks, this time with a more restrained tone. "Everything in this castle belongs to me. Your brother trespassed and now he is my property as well." The master takes one step closer to Sora, but still does not step out of the darkness. "You should leave before I make you my prisoner as well."

"You don't own him!" Sora snaps angrily; the injustice boils his blood, but he forces himself to bite his tongue. His brother's fate rests in the master's hands; Sora may not have regard for the consequences of his words, but he'll watch his tone for Roxas's sake. "I mean...there must be something. I'll do anything to help Roxas."

These words seem to catch the master's attention. He finally stops pacing and doesn't wait for an awkward pause of silence before speaking. "Anything?"

"Sora don't!" Roxas squeezes his brother's hand. Sora turns to stare at him and can't escape the desperation in his eyes. "I promised father I'd look out for you. I can't let you stay here. I'm begging you, go!"

The words of their father echo in Sora's mind and he sees so much of the man in Roxas. He knows, if their roles were opposite, Sora would refuse to let Roxas argue on his behalf, but that isn't reality; he's here, on the outside of the cell, free to leave this castle and return home. Sora can't rest until Roxas has that same freedom.

Reluctantly, Sora lets go of Roxas's hand and offers his brother a sad smile. "I promised too."

Sora stands and turns to face the shrouded man head on. "Yes, I'll do anything." He can't help but wonder what the master has in mind, but Sora knows, whatever it is, it won't matter to him; no matter what, his brother is leaving this castle a free man.

"How about a duel?" the master asks; now his tone is cocky and teasing, as if the fate of the brothers is a game to him. Sora balls his hands into fists to resist the urge to snap at the master for making light of this. "We'll duel for your fates. If I win, he remains my prisoner and you leave him here forever; if you win, he walks free."

Roxas is protesting as loud as he can, urging Sora to leave between coughing fits. His pleas fall on deaf ears, as determination and confidence fill Sora to the brim. Even with the stakes so high, Sora can't help but feel excited. He'll be a hero, just like the knights in the storybooks. But he doesn't accept the offer just yet. There's still one more thing, one curiosity he needs satisfied before he can agree to a fight.

"Step into the light."

An unsettling silence spreads through the dungeon hall as the master seems to quietly contemplate Sora's request. Truthfully, it doesn't matter to Sora what the master looks like, or if he's even human for that matter. He's read stories of heroes slaying dragons, hydras, and all kinds of monsters; if they can slay beasts, certainly Sora can win a duel.

Despite his confidence, Sora isn't prepared for what he sees when the master does finally step forward.

The dusty light from the stained glass window illuminates the master just enough for Sora to make out his features. He's a young man, standing a head taller than Sora and his frame is much broader, with silver hair that stretches just past his shoulders, and sickly pale skin. He wears a thick black robe that seems to be hiding a toned physique, but, most notably, a piece of black silk is wrapped over his eyes, hiding their true nature from the outside world.

Sora isn't sure why Roxas is so frightened of this man, but he remains unintimidated.

With a cocky smirk, Sora crosses his arms over his chest and moves his gaze up to the man's covered eyes. "I accept."

The master turns on his heel, his cloak fluttering as an extension of the dark shadow he steps back into. With one last lingering glance towards Roxas, Sora puts on his bravest face and follows the master into the darkness and down the spiraling staircase he came up. His eyes are trained on the master's back, but it's hard to tell where the darkness ends and where his cloak begins.

Each window seal holds a candelabra, all lit and burning bright, illuminating the staircase. Sora furrows his brow as he clearly remembers the staircase as pitch black on his way up. Had the master lit them? Or maybe his servants...

"My castle isn't like most," the master says, as if reading Sora's mind aloud. Sora stumbles over a step in surprise, but stables himself by grabbing onto a window seal. He hears the master chuckle playfully and Sora narrows his eyes at the back of the master's head. "Things happen here that would be difficult to explain to someone like you."

Sora finds himself glaring even harder. "Try me."

The master doesn't reply; they go back to walking in silence, which puts Sora on edge. His mind is racing with a hundred questions. Before, his mind had been absorbed with freeing Roxas and while that goal still dominates his thoughts, Sora can't quench his curiosity.

Who was this man that ruled over an empty castle? How could he torture Roxas one moment and then playfully toy with Sora the next? It sounded absurd, even to Sora in his own head, but it was as if the master were two men in one.

"Riku," the master interrupts Sora's thoughts again. The boy raises an eyebrow in confusion, but before he can ask, the master clarifies. "My name."

 _Riku..._ the name dances around in Sora's head, strong and warm, despite the man's cold and mysterious demeanor. Still, it suits him; Sora isn't sure why he believes that, but it's like instinct. He decides he should give up on making sense of anything.

Riku leads him back down the main hall of the castle's floor to the crossroads in the center of the foyer. From the corner of his eye, Sora notices Riku gesture down the stairs to one of the now open rooms near the castle's front door. "You'll find everything you need to prepare for our duel in the den; one of my servants is waiting to assist you."

"So you do have servants!" Riku bites back a snicker at Sora's selective hearing. He watches Sora start down the stairs hesitantly, but the boy grows more confident as he comes closer to the room and feels the heat of the crackling fireplace inside.

"Sora," Riku calls out. The boy stops walking and slowly turns his head, somehow surprised to know Riku has learned his name. "Meet me in the ballroom once you're ready. And try not to keep me waiting."

Curiosity and confusion fall of Sora's face and the stern determination Riku had seen in the dungeon takes their place.

With a single nod of his head in Riku's direction, Sora turns and passes through the doors of the den; Riku won't know what hit him.

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Feedback is much appreciated, and a great motivator; comments and suggestions are all welcome.

Aiming for once a week updates, but please don't hold me to that!


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